A wide variety of containers are currently available on the market. Many of these containers have opening systems which are designed to eliminate the need for hand tools of any type. This is deemed to be a preferable construction for the reason that the consumer often does not have ready access to container openers or other tools with which to open a given container. This has been especially true in the area of beverage containers wherein often, the consumer purchases the goods from a retail establishment for immediate consumption, and it is therefore highly convenient to have a self-opening container available to such consumers.
To this end, a number of self opening containers have been developed, the most notable system having commercial success being the pull tab arrangement. Hence, a metallic container may be provided with a scored region at the top wall and a loop or other grasping means is attached to the scored out area. By grasping the loop, the scored area may be removed from the top wall, thereby to open the container.
Another version of a self opening container has been the provision of a metallic container wherein the top end wall is provided with a pair of puncta or weakened areas, and the containers open by merely manually pushing down on the puncta or weakened areas with any appropriate means. Usually, the consumer is obligated to use his finger or some other tool in order to push down and rupture the two puncta. Containers of this type have been especially useful in the beer industry.
Insofar as the patent art is concerned, a number of systems have been developed and patented which relate to containers having some form of opening means associated therewith. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,307,746 shows a container having a frangible opening device associated therewith. It will be observed that the operator need only press down on a knob member which incorporates one or more dispensing apertures which are presented to the contents of the container by pressing down on the knob member. Hence, it will be appreciated that the structure depicted in the patent does provide a form of a dispensing device incorporated within the container itself. However, it will be observed that the device as manifested in this patent has never achieved any degree of commercial success, undoubtedly for the reasons tht the cost of manufacture would be prohibitive in view of the types of beverages or other contents which could be packed within the container.
Another form of opening device for containers is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,488 wherein a perforating device is provided with a container having a plurality of puncta associated with a top wall end thereof. It will be noted that the perforating device is provided as a separate element and is positioned over the top end wall of the container and manually pressed down in order to rupture the weakened areas or puncta by means of the prongs extending downwardly from the perforating device. The difficulty with this device is that it is cumbersome indeed to be required to provide a separate perforating device for opening the container which could easily become separated from the container, and hence, defeat the utility aspect thereof.
Still another form of a self opening container is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,483 wherein the container top wall is provided with a closure member which is seated within a sealing port and basically retained in position by means of the fluid and gas pressures existing within the container. In order to open the container, the operator allegedly simply moves the closure downwardly against the seat and into the contents of the container such that the closure member actually sinks within the container. While this may appear to be a very simple device and highly convenient, nevertheless, within the framework of modern safety requirements, it is extremely objectionable to have the closure members forced into the containers itself, such that they float freely with the fluid contained therein. Should any fracturing occur, or should the closure member give off any particulate matter, it is highly likely that the consumer will actually swallow pieces of metal, plastic, or whatever other material forms the closure member and it is highly unlikely that with today's safety standards, that any such containers and opening devices would be permitted. Hence, this container has a serious drawback associated therewith.
Still another variation of an opening device for a container especially adapted to carry liquids is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,297. The structure depicted in this patent relates to a combination drinking cup and can opener, wherein the drinking cup is formed as a separate element and includes a number of can piercing instruments extending downwardly from the bottom wall thereof. In practice and as taught by the patent, the drinking cup is positioned over the top of the can and forces down such that the can piercing instruments rupture the can lid, and having thus made an opening, liquid is permitted to flow out when the operator seeks to drink from the drinking cup portion extending upwardly beyond the top portion of the can. While this may appear to be a convenient system for not only effecting the opening of a can, but providing a drinking cup, nevertheless, it will be appreciated that the manufacturer must still provide a separate element to the consumer in order to effect the opening operation. It is submitted that once the manufacturer is commited to providing a separate opening element, the same drawbacks heretofore mentioned exist, with such devices, and detracts from the ability to commercialize any such opening system.
Still another variation of the can opening system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,042,249. In this instance, each can is provided with a separate can piercing blade mounted on the external side wall of the container, and is designed to be pulled away from the container side wall and operated as a can opener. It becomes quite apparent that the provision of a plurality of cans having blades extending laterally outwardly from the external side walls thereof are extremely dangerous for the consumer to use and certainly increase the possibilities of injuries to the consumer. Indeed, it is believed that under current safety standard requirements, containers having blades extending laterally outwardly from the external walls would not be permitted.
It is deemed desirable to develop a container and a container opening system which is entirely self contained with regard to the container per se, which at the same time eliminates the need or requirement for extraneous tools or instruments, and still complies with any set of safety standards in existence in the country today.